[Clinical analysis of 5 cases of peritoneal mesothelioma]

Peritoneal mesothelioma is an infrequently encountered tumor that has a poor prognosis. Five female cases are reported in this article: one of epithelial type, one fibrous and three mixed, and there are two benign and three malignant cases. Abdominal mass, pain, ascites and weight loss are main manifestations. The epithelial and mixed types are prone to produce ascites. CT scanning is helpful for preoperation diagnosis. In 3 of the 5 patients the tumors have been thoroughly removed, one patient was treated with a partial removal, and one with biopsy only. Two patients have received chemotherapy after operation. The four patients who were given effective treatment survived each longer than 12 years, 55 months, 26 months and 15 months. One of the 5 patients who received biopsy only at laparotomy died two months later. It is recommended that if the primary tumor of the organs in the peritoneal cavity could be excluded, any patient with an abdominal mass and ascites should be given the benefit of doubt that it might be a case of peritoneal mesothelioma. Laparotomy should be carried out, and all the visible tumor masses should be resected as completely as possible. Cytoreductive surgery should be done in patients with recurrence. If postoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy is given the prognosis may be improved.